


MAGIC PEETA

by BellaGracie



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Exotic Dancer Finnick, Exotic Dancer Peeta, F/M, Pole Dancing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:48:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22984294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BellaGracie/pseuds/BellaGracie
Summary: In which Peeta funds his medical school education by being an exotic dancer!!! (OK, probably not possible IRL because Medical School leaves no time for anyone to spend his weekends dancing around a pole but anyhoo!)Also, Peeta is a very bad Exotic Dancer because he can't dance to save your life. But who cares. Women will do things just to see bare butt naked Peeta wriggling around a pole.
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 30
Kudos: 30





	1. THE POLE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this idea just occurred to me today, and I just had to post, before I scare myself off because I have TOO MANY WIPs as it is!
> 
> Peeta tries too hard to impress Katniss, gives her his Special Pole Routine, then pole unfortunately breaks and . . . Peeta goes flying into the audience and . . . (Stay tuned)

"Honey, stop talking to me about morals. You're an EXOTIC DANCER, for heavens sake." That's what his 'date' for the night says. Yes, she's paying him $500, but he likes to think he's doing this so he can be a really excellent doctor one day. And he's really good with his hands, they could be surgeon's hands. Weekends they're usually grabbing a stripper's pole but he's careful never to get them bruised or anything.

This is when Peeta stops and decides he has to re-think his life. Yes, he's an exotic dancer, but that's only to put him through medical school. He didn't expect textbooks to be so expensive, FUCK. Five-hundred dollars a quarter? What student can afford that? Unless they have parents who don't mind because they're Upper Middle Class, which Peeta's parents are, to be honest. They're just not supportive of him, of his dreams.

So, on weekend nights, while his college buddies are off with their hot dates, he's dancing in a club and pretending he's Channing Tatum, though he has a terrible sense of rhythm, the music (Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees, gimme a break!) is awful, and he wishes he could just . . . disconnect.

The perks are that he has a few regulars now. One of his fellow strippers, Finnick, tells him: "Stay clear of that one. Stripping's like a gateway drug. He's doing porn now. You don't want to go down that road."

Peeta stares at Finnick, exasperated. He's studying to be a DOCTOR, he chose a club at least an hour's drive away from USF, glitter on his chest is not his idea of fun and never will be, but sometimes he does get to have great sex, after his set. SOMETIMES. There's sometimes a hot chick in the audience, and Peeta can focus on that one person, and give his routine an extra push.

Tonight, the crowd is mostly older women, and Peeta's bored bored bored. There he goes, twirling around the pole. And then he sees her.

She's dark-haired, sitting with another dark-haired woman, a few rows back from the stage. omg Peeta thinks he's just died and gone to heaven. Her eyes are amazing: a smoky charcoal, and the intensity in her gaze burns him like lasers. He flicks his hips in her direction and she drops her eyes for a few seconds.

_Cool it, Peeta! You want her to keep looking at you! Don't be tacky!_

He turns his back on her for a little bit, shakes his tush (UGH, someone grabs him by the ankle, he hates when women do that). The music is REALLY REALLY horrible, he wishes he were listening to The Lumineers instead. 

Peeta gives his hips another determined flick and turns around.

_She's still there! Oh my God!_

His eyes find hers and their gazes lock. Before he knows it, the music cuts out. He glances quickly to the side and sees Finnick waiting there in his policeman's uniform. It drives women wild when Finnick rips off his uniform and . . .

Peeta decides to give it one last twirl on the pole and ... _no no no!_ The pole gives. For one crazy moment, he teeters in mid-air. Then, momentum sends him straight into the laps of the women in the front row. There are screams -- not screams of panic but screams of delight. The women must think this is all part of his routine.

But it isn't. Peeta feels a sharp pain shoot through his right leg. Oh no! He's studying to be a doctor. He knows exactly what's happened.


	2. HOURS EARLIER: PEETA

There was the usual "safeguarding" meeting before the start of that night's performance. Rules, boundaries, we can't be accused of _this_ , we shouldn't do _that_. "If one of our dancers is the cause of a lawsuit, you're out on your ass, right?"

Peeta tried to suppress a yawn. This was a strip club, after all. He had a test tomorrow.

The voice of the manager, Brutus, cuts in: "Remember, you're basically defenseless up there, and women sometimes have grabby hands."

Yeah, yeah, right. After his number, Peeta has an 'appointment' back in a private room. She's a regular, he doesn't mind. She's having problems with her teenage son. Her son's the despair of her life, so she likes to talk. Peeta helps her relax. He can do that.

They've been together four times, and each time they finish she gets up, startled, and starts reaching for her phone, checking for messages. Her husband is a nice man, she says, a very nice man.

At 8:15, Peeta's routine starts. The crowd is fine, no one's going crazy. One of the dancers finishes his routine, comes backstage and warns them, "There's a pod of guys, stage left, getting a little rowdy." Peeta makes a note of it.

He struts onstage, sees his regular, gives her a little nod. She's sitting right behind -- oh. _OH_.

* * *

Katniss sits with her hands in her lap. She really shouldn't be here. It's a little strange watching scantily clothed men do the bump and grind on a stage. Of course, the men are nice-looking, but she thinks they must be gay. She's just here to try something a little different, Johanna keeps teasing her.

The lights go down, the men do their routines, and she's slightly bored. "Holy shit," Johanna breathes from beside her. Katniss raises her eyes, and -- _Holy shit_.

A blonde's just walked across the stage. She's seen blondes before, but -- the man must be feeling a little cold, there are goosebumps across his arms, and his nipples are erect. Corded veins run down both his forearms. _Must work out._ When he grabs the pole with his large, capable hands, the dancer meets her eyes. Just for a second. She feels a spark. He grips the pole so hard, his knuckles turn white. She hears a voice behind her, "Take it off, honey!" The man turns his head towards the voice, and his eyes wander to someone behind Katniss. He nods. It's a nod of recognition. But his eyes don't stay on the woman behind Katniss, they're on her again.

All Katniss's thoughts drain away, like a wave on a beach.

"Woo hoo!" Johanna calls, practically splitting Katniss's eardrum. "Show us what you got, hot stuff!"


	3. THE BACKSTORY OF NERD KATNISS

Katniss was not what you would call a fun-loving girl. She was the kind of girl who would say to her boyfriend: "Every time someone uses air con a polar bear dies." Could this be the reason why her past two relationships had ended in mid-summer?

Perhaps.

No one knew how Johanna was able to twist her arm into accompanying her to a strip club. First, Johanna told Katniss that it was her birthday and, since Johanna was at that moment in a dry spell between boyfriends, she wanted nothing so much as to go to a strip club. She agreed to choose one a good, long distance from their apartment, so they wouldn't accidentally bump into anyone they knew -- entering, exiting, or onstage.

Johanna swore to Katniss that this was a "decent" strip club, with decent (meaning: not gross) male strippers. Also, she told Katniss she had been there twice before and found it a lot of "fun." So Katniss had agreed.

Within five minutes of their stepping in the door, however, it became very clear to Katniss that Johanna had lied about her having been there before. "This way, this way!" she kept pulling Katniss. They ended up wandering down a couple of dark corridors with vague smells and ended up -- more than once -- in a closet or a restroom. Finally, though, all they had to do was follow the excited cheering of (mostly) female voices and they found themselves in the main "room," which was just a big square with no seats, everyone standing and clapping and cheering while various naked men strutted around a pole.

 _Christ_ , Katniss thought. It's going to be a long evening. To tell the truth, she found the bulging biceps type of man a little off-putting. She wasn't turned on by the idea of anyone loving their bodies enough to work out to that degree. She knew it wasn't the dancers' fault -- after all, the women in the audience seemed very appreciative. They were just trying to make a living, after all.

Some of the men looked a tad old to be in that line of work, which made Katniss sad. She tugged at Johanna's arm and ventured, "Seen enough?"

"What?" Johanna hissed. "It hasn't even been two hours!"

At which, Katniss couldn't help rolling her eyes. But then, oh my God. Holy shit. THE GUY walked out. And he was nothing like the other men. Which is not to say he didn't have a nice body. He did.

It didn't seem as though he worked out over-much. In fact, it seemed like a slim, normal man's body, with a normal amount of muscle around the shoulders and back. And he did have a very nice b -- Katniss blushed and reminded herself: BACK. He has a nice BACK.

 _I do not objectify men_ , Katniss said (hopefully, not aloud. But even if she _had_ said it aloud, no one would have heard, the room was so noisy). _It's wrong._

He had a fine smattering of hair all the way down his belly to -- down there. She was sure she'd get to see what was under that thong eventually, it seemed like a nice package. She was so distracted, she forgot to pay attention to what Johanna was doing. In fact, she forgot about Johanna entirely until the man on the stage landed in her lap. Katniss was so astonished -- so was the man, from the way he wordleslly blinked up at her -- that she only remembered Johanna when Johanna said, "Sweet Jesus. This is way beyond even my wildest dreams."


	4. AFTERMATH

Peeta grimaced. His leg hurt like hell. He had a sudden flash of the steep steps to his apartment on Folsom. He wouldn't be able to manage it with his leg in a cast, would he? Which meant -- there was only one alternative: moving back home. How would he explain the accident? _I tripped on a chair . . ._

"We need to get him to a hospital," the girl with the beautiful, silver eyes was saying to her friend.

"Right," her friend said, shamelessly raking her eyes over Peeta's supine form, draped over the lap of her friend. Thank God he hadn't yet got to the part where he'd stripped off his thong. Of course, you could clearly see the outlines of his -- er -- dick beneath the satin, but at least it was covered.

Brutus came rushing over. "What the hell happened?" he asked Peeta. He was furious. Peeta figured he'd better find a new sideline. Too bad, the money had been good.

"Do you know where the nearest hospital is?" the silver-eyed girl was asking Brutus.

"There's a Kaiser on West MacArthur. You'll take him?"

The girl hesitated before saying, "Yeah, sure."

Brutus nodded. He bent, grabbed Peeta's arm, swung it over his shoulder, and tried hauling Peeta up.

Peeta saw stars. "Stop!" he bellowed. "I can't, I can't -- my ankle's broken. Trust me. I know."

"Okay, we'll have to carry you," said the dark-haired girl, throwing Brutus a speculative glance.

Behind the people crowding around, Peeta saw the face of his regular. She looked very sad. She lifted a hand, waved, and mouthed a silent, Good-bye. Then, she was gone.

Oh, well, Peeta thought. He didn't feel any regret, really. Suddenly, he was being hefted over Brutus's shoulder. What? Great. His ass was dangling for everyone to see. Not that his ass was anything to be ashamed of . . .

"Okay," Brutus was saying to the girl, his savior. "Lead the way."

"My car's a block over. Can you manage it?"

Brutus gritted his teeth. "I can manage it."

The four of them -- Brutus, Peeta, and the two girls -- made it out of the club, a small knot of people trailing after them and making sympathetic noises. Or maybe just wanting to see more of Peeta's butt, who knew?

"God, I love birthdays," one of the dark-haired girls (not Silver Eyes) said.

 _I'm never going to live this down_ , Peeta thought. _My mother's going to go ballistic if I move back home. She'll probably ask me to pay rent._


	5. GETTING TO EMERGENCY

"Slow down, Kat! Geez!" says the dark-haired woman to Silver Eyes.

So that's her name: Kat. It's a nice name. Fits.

"We're going to get pulled over," continues her friend.

"This neighborhood's making me a bit nervous, is all," Kat says.

"It's all right," Peeta grits out. "It looks rough, but I've never gotten mugged. AND I take BART late at night."

She screeches to a halt at a stop light. Peeta bites his lips to keep from crying out. "Christ," he gasps. "Do you think you could brake a little more gently? I'm getting tossed around back here. I might pass out."

"Sorry! Sorry!" Kat says. "OK, it's go again!" The car lurches forward.

"Maybe I better climb into the backseat so I can hold him," the other girl says.

"No, no!" Peeta grits out. "I'll be all right. We're almost there. Right turn here."

Kat pulls abruptly to the right, the two left wheels of the car lifting. Oh my God, Peeta thinks. But, here they are finally.

"Do you see a sign for the emergency entrance?" Kat asks worriedly.

Her friend peers out the window. "There!" she points.

Kat accelerates, Peeta groans, and the car lurches to a stop before the emergency entrance. No one's around.

"Let me see if I can get someone to bring over a wheelchair," Kat says, pulling up the handbrake.

"And I'll stay right here, making sure Handsome's all right," her friend says, swivelling her head to Peeta and winking.

"Johanna," Kat says in a warning tone. She looks at Peeta. "Sorry, she's a little full-on but she's harmless." Johanna sticks her tongue out. Peeta doesn't say anything. "Right," Katniss says. "I'll be back as fast as I can."

Peeta nods. "Hurry," is all he manages to say. He hopes Kat's right about her friend because right now, she's eyeing him the way a cat eyes a bowl of milk. He leans his head back and groans.

Thankfully, in less than five minutes, Kat returns with a hospital orderly pushing a wheelchair. The orderly peers into the car, spots Peeta and asks, "Are you the one?"

"Yes," Peeta says.

"Let's get you inside," the orderly says. Thankfully, he's strong and manages to heave Peeta out without difficulty. He doesn't even blink at Peeta's lack of clothing.

The orderly arranges Peeta in the wheelchair, then turns to Kat and Johanna. "Are you two family?" the orderly asks. "You'll be wanting to follow us inside?"

"We're just friends," Kat says. She and Johanna exchange a look.

"Yeah, why not," Johanna says. "We can drive him home, sure."


	6. INTRODUCTIONS

Johanna and Katniss agreed they could take Peeta home, and were rewarded with a tired smile. "I owe you one," he said. The orderly whisked him away, and Johanna followed right behind. Katniss called out, "Jo, I'll wait in the car. Something about hospitals ... I'd rather wait in the car."

Johanna quirked an eyebrow and said, "Your loss. I just want to hear him give his vitals to the doctor." Then she laughed.

"Have fun," Katniss said. She gave a half- wave and returned to her car, moving it to a visitor parking slot a few yards away. She would keep an eye on the doors and move the car up when the -- stripper? She didn't even know his name, she realized -- and Jo came back out.

She realized she was suddenly very tired. Her nerves had been taut all evening. The stranger landing in her lap -- he was practically naked! And why her lap, when there were so many other more willing women surrounding the stage.

He was huge, too. Not -- she wasn't thinking of his particular anatomy -- she blushed a little, because she had glanced at his, well, attributes, she hadn't been able to help it. After all ...

She shook her head. _We do not objectify men. Right._

Anyway, this stripper on her lap. He'd just come off a complicated dance routine, and he smelled just a little bit of sweat (anyone who thinks pole dancing isn't hard ought to try it). He also had another smell that was more like a clean-boy smell, a smell that said he bathed every day (probably twice, even) and took care of himself. His fingernails were neat and trimmed, and his toenails were, too, and it didn't seem as if they were that way just for the show. It felt -- and Katniss, not having had that many boyfriends, didn't know how she knew this -- like he was a creature of habit, and of good habits. Like he kept himself clean, in general. Probably scrubbed behind his ears, every day. Brushed his teeth after every meal. That kind of thing.

Oh, it was good standing there, out of the car, trying to get her thoughts in order. In just under an hour, she heard Peeta's voice saying, "Thanks for being so nice, really." She turned, and Jo was wheeling him over to Katniss's car. There was a cast on the lower part of his right leg. And someone must have lent him clothes: he was wearing loose sweatpants and a loose T-shirt (and God, even with clothes on he still looked good, Katniss thought)

"So, how was he?" Katniss said to Jo, in a slightly teasing tone, which shocked her because she never used that tone.

Jo cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, he was good. He was very, VERY good."

Now it was Peeta's turn to blush. "I'm sorry, I haven't given you my name," he said, looking at Katniss and reaching a hand out to her. "My name's Peeta. Peeta Mellark."

"And HER name is Katniss Everdeen," Jo said. "And you know mine and I'm sure you have it stored away for the future."

Peeta gave a small laugh, but he wasn't looking at Jo, he was looking at Katniss. He pushed himself off the wheelchair, and Jo handed him a pair of crutches. Gingerly, he rested his weight on them, Jo helping him with an arm around his waist. "I got it," he said, after a few moments.

"Great," Jo said. "I'll return the wheelchair."

"So, Peeta," Katniss said. "Where do you live?"

"Folsom and 23rd," Peeta said. "I'm sorry to be such a bother."

But Katniss had already whipped out her phone and was looking the address up on Navigator. "No biggie," she muttered, studying the streets. She wasn't all that familiar with that section of the city, it was near the Mission and parking there was hell. Besides which, she never went out.

"I'd really love to repay the favor some time," Peeta said. There was something a little desperate in his tone.

Katniss's head shot up. "Listen," she said, "you really don't have to."

"But I WANT to," Peeta said. "Can I give you my number? I seem to have left my phone back there."

Katniss's brow furrowed. "You're going to need it. Should we go back for it? I mean, it's not that far away."

"No, Finnick will bring it by tomorrow."

"Finnick?"

"He's one of the other -- " Peeta stopped and blushed. "He's a friend."

Johanna snuck up on them. "Moooo!" she said, loud.

Katniss jumped. Peeta laughed, but Katniss didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This really is Magic Peeta: he hangs on to that "clean-boy" smell, even when he has the accident and lands on Katniss's lap!


	7. FOLSOM AND 23rd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm definitely in a mood.

Katniss had taken the wrong exit. Twice. She kept saying, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Peeta didn't mind, though. It was a beautiful night. Honestly, the most beautiful night he'd ever seen in San Francisco. And that was saying a lot, since he'd been born there, had grown up rollerblading on Crissy Field and in Golden Gate Park, knew most of the stops on the K and T lines of the Muni, knew the "owl" service like the back of his hand, and was completely blasé about the Golden Gate Bridge.

"Here!" Peeta said, maybe with perhaps more bite than he'd intended, because Katniss suddenly stepped on the brakes. He didn't really mind, his leg was in a cast and he was woozy from the painkiller they'd given him in the hospital.

What time was it, Peeta thought vaguely. It must be midnight, or close to. He had a test to take in the morning.

Eventually, though, they arrived at his apartment.

"You can park in the driveway," he said. "Finnick doesn't get home till -- "

"Ah, Finnick," Johanna said knowingly. "Wasn't that the other dancer at the club?"

Geez, Peeta thought. This girl was sharp.

He didn't answer. Katniss took the crutches, while Johanna wrapped her arm around his waist. The steps were steep. Somehow, they made it up.

He apologized again for having to ask them to help him up the stairs. He told them where he'd hidden the spare key. (Under the dead plant in the corner, lol)

The apartment smelled of patchouli and weed. Peeta hoped they didn't think he was some kind of ...

 _That's Finnick's_ , he wanted to say. But bit his friend's name off his tongue at the last minute.

"Nice," Johanna said. "You've got a weed dispensary across the street."

_Well, yeah, that IS nice. If you're Finnick._

"Hey," Johanna said. She'd switched on the living room light. Like Peeta said, she was sharp. She was now standing, looking inquisitively around the room. "You sure like to read!"

Peeta's medical texts were scattered all over the floor next to the couch. He prayed Johanna wouldn't decide to take a closer look. Because then he'd have to explain some things. And it would take too long.

"Wow," Katniss breathed, looking at the walls. "Those are beautiful paintings."

Peeta looked up. "Oh, thanks!" he said.

Katniss turned her silver eyes on him. "You painted these?"

Peeta blushed. "Yeah," he said. "Painting's sort of a hobby of mine."

"You're really good," Katniss said.

"Thanks," Peeta said. He became very aware of Johanna propping him up on one side and said, "Sorry. You can just leave me here."

"Which way to your bedroom?" Johanna asked.

"Seriously, the couch is fine," Peeta said. Except, there were two fat textbooks open on the couch. He cursed his disorganization.

Katniss went to the couch, picked up the heavy books -- he couldn't be sure, he thought he saw her scan the titles -- and placed them, still open, on the coffee table. Johanna and he limped over, and he sank down gratefully.

"Better now?" Johanna said, giving his shoulders a slight squeeze before lowering him on the couch.

"Yeah, much better," Peeta said. He sighed. "Sorry I can't see you to the door."

"Heh," Johanna said. "Ha. Ha."

"Johanna!" Katniss said. She turned to Peeta. "Sure you'll be all right here, by yourself? Want us to get you some water or -- " She made a vague gesture in the direction of the kitchen.

"Ah, no, I'll be fine," Peeta said. "I think I'll just crash."

He and Katniss stared at each other.

_What is this? Why does she seem as if she doesn't want to leave? Does she like me?_

"Let's go," Johanna said.

Which was confusing for Peeta because he was almost sure Johanna wanted to fuck him.

"All right. Good-night, Peeta," Katniss said.

"Good-night, Pee-tah," Johanna said, and planted a firm kiss on his mouth.

Peeta jerked his head back, startled. Johanna laughed.

"See you, Handsome," Johanna said. She paused. "Sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine, thanks."

He listened to them walk slowly down the stairs. He almost shouted, "Be careful!" but he figured they'd be okay. He listened as they walked to her car, opened the doors, and got in. The engine started. It took several tries before her car was able to pull out into the street. Then the car suddenly took off -- noisy, with a screech of tires. It raced down the street. He thought he heard it make a right turn. Were they headed towards Cesar Chavez?

Peeta was floating. _I forgot to give her my number_ , he thought. His head lolled back on the couch. In the next moment, he was fast asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it too much, Peeta being an exotic dancer AND being in medical school AND painting for a hobby?
> 
> Sorry for plot holes, I'm writing this sort of like stream-of-consciousness. At least, it'll be over soon!


	8. TWO MONTHS LATER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just going and going . . .
> 
> I finessed a few things, like: How did Peeta go up and down those steep stairs by himself? Did he pass his test? How is he paying for medical school?
> 
> I really wanted Peeta to stay in his apartment (for a particular reason, which I will reveal in the next chapter or two) -- so, I guess Peeta just had to be strong! The other questions will be answered as soon as I come up with IDEAS!

"Handsome's inviting us over for dinner," Johanna said.

"Who?" Katniss said. She was trying to fix a leak under their kitchen sink. Johanna was watching and handing her tools.

"Stripper boi? Peeta," Johanna said.

Katniss dropped her tools and pulled out. For good measure, she hit her head on a pipe. OWWW!

"He called you?" she asked Johanna, wiping her hands slowly on a rag.

"No, I called him," Johanna said.

"How'd you get his number?" Katniss asked.

"At the hospital. When he was giving them his information."

"You're a sly one," Katniss said.

"The invitation's for BOTH of us. So, are you coming or not?"

Katniss finished wiping her hands and stood up. "I'm coming."

* * *

He heard the door chime just as he was pulling the lasagna out of the oven. He fumbled, nearly dropped it, then set it on the kitchen counter before running to the door. He could hear someone rattling the door handle impatiently. That would be Johanna.

He flung it open. "Ta-da!" he said, hoping his smile came off natural. Johanna pushed her way in. Katniss waited, refusing to meet his eye.

"You've got a garden?" Johanna exclaimed from somewhere behind him. He turned. She was standing at the double doors to the back.

"I do. Let me show you," Peeta said.

But she had already thrown open the double doors and had stepped out to the narrow terrace. Beyond was an unkempt field of tangled grass studded with dandelions. A cement path led to a wooden shed and a log pile.

"I love it! So much potential!" Johanna exclaimed.

"Is she always like this?" Peeta whispered to Katniss.

Katniss shook her head and smiled. "I think she likes you," Katniss said, then blushed.

_Huh. What does that blush mean? I like you, too._

When they were back in the kitchen, Peeta pulled out plates and cutlery. He set them on a wooden table in a dining alcove, just off the kitchen. "It's nicer out there," he said, rushed, "but it's starting to get cold at night, so . . . "

"Here's fine," Katniss said. "Can we help you with anything?"

"No, I've got it covered," Peeta said. "I'm just so glad you came." He walked to a window and pulled it open. Then, he gathered together a few tumblers and pulled a bottle of wine from a cabinet.

"This is nice," Johanna said.

Setting the tumblers on the table, Peeta poured the wine. Katniss watched intently as a liquid the color of blackberries filled the tumblers.

"There you go," Peeta said, after he'd filled the last tumbler. "Cheers."

They drank. Peeta said, "Oh! I almost forgot the salad!" He ran to the fridge and pulled out a large bowl filled with fresh greens and tomatoes and cucumbers. He set it on the table and they passed him their plates. After filling each with salad and lasagna, Johanna said, "Soooo -- "

"Thank you both so much," Peeta said, "for helping me that night."

"You been back there since?" Johanna asked.

Katniss lowered her fork and looked at her friend. Seriously?

"No," Peeta said, and blushed. "No, I couldn't. I mean, the people are nice. And actually, the manager, Brutus, offered to give me my old job back. But I suddenly got really busy, so -- "

"Busy doing what?" Johanna asked.

Peeta poured himself more wine. He took a big gulp, set the tumbler down on the table and said, "I'm in school."

Johanna burst into a loud laugh. Katniss gave her a kick under the table, which Johanna ignored. "So," Johanna said, "what's the story?"

"The story?" said Peeta.

"The Octopus, this place, the SCHOOL. What's the story?"

"I'm -- I'm busy," Peeta said. "Besides, school's expensive."

"And this place?" Johanna persisted.

"It's Finnick's. I mean, Finnick sub-lets from someone. And I'm his roommate."

* * *

After -- Katniss had practically destroyed the lasagna, all by herself, she was so embarrassed -- Johanna and Peeta drank (Katniss couldn't because she was driving). Katniss offered to help Peeta wash up, but he refused, he was such a gentleman (which is a funny thing to say, Katniss knew, about someone who worked -- used to work -- as a stripper).

On their way back to the car, Johanna said, "Well, that was interesting. You think he's gay?"

Katniss was quiet for a bit. "No, I don't think so," she said.

"Yeah, but the Finnick thing. And he didn't even look at my chest, not once, every time I reached for the wine. I did it about three times."

"It could be he's just -- polite," Katniss said.

"No way. He works as an exotic dancer. I think he's gay. A lot of those guys are gay." Johanna dropped her cigarette on the sidewalk and ground it out with her boot. She sighed, "It's always the cute ones."

Katniss shrugged. She didn't think Peeta was gay, but it was no use arguing with Johanna. She would never tell Johanna that she'd thought of him nightly, that she sometimes wondered if her attraction was based on the fact that she'd first seen him naked (or close to). She'd dreamed of seeing him again, had shaken her head at the fantasy. But now that she had seen him again, and fully clothed, she saw that he was every bit as attractive as he'd been on that night two months earlier. She'd been shy, shyer than she normally was. Thankfully, Johanna hadn't noticed.

Now, Katniss wondered how she and Peeta would meet again. Maybe -- never? She was surprised at the disappointment that accompanied that thought. It was sharp, biting, the kind of disappointment that hid in her chest. But, really, there was no chance. When they said their good-byes, Peeta hadn't given any indication that he wanted to arrange another meet-up. How would that happen, anyway? "Hi, remember me, the stripper who broke his ankle and sailed into your lap during my pole dance?" She would laugh and say, "How could I forget?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to name the strip club where Peeta worked: the Octopus. It might come up again, who knows?
> 
> Also, how'd you like Johanna's self-control? She actually waited two months before calling Peeta!
> 
> She's important here for reasons. But can we just laugh at how condescending Johanna is to Katniss: thinking Peeta is gay because he doesn't seem attracted to HER! Katniss senses that Peeta is attracted to her, but she keeps that to herself.


End file.
